The Nigeria Customs Service has called on maritime stakeholders to transition from the Fast Track scheme to the Authorised Economic Operator Programme, ahead of the December 2025 deadline.

Speaking during a sensitisation session in Ikeja on Wednesday, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the AEO as a major shift in stakeholder engagement and trade facilitation by the Service.

The event, themed “From Fast Track to AEO: Enhancing Trade Facilitation and Supply Chain Security in Nigeria,” was attended by key industry players.

Adeniyi, represented by the Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, Assistant Comptroller-General Charles Obih, said the shift is both timely and strategic.

He emphasised that the AEO Programme reflects the new direction of Customs reforms aimed at promoting legitimate trade, boosting Nigeria’s economic competitiveness, and improving national security through smarter and more collaborative systems.

“A new direction for trade facilitation in Nigeria is what we are talking about as far as this stakeholder’s commitment is concerned.

“The theme of the event captures the direction of our reforms at the NCS, which aim to support legitimate trade, enhance economic competitiveness, and strengthen national security through smarter, more collaborative, and more cooperative approaches. For over a decade, the Fast-Track team provided early benefits for compliance importers. However, it had limitations, mainly the absence of an illegal framework and the changing dynamics of the supply chain,” Adeniyi said.

He highlighted the pressing need for the Service to transition to a globally recognised model that is structured, transparent, and driven by risk-based principles.

“That is what led to the design and implementation of the AEO Programme, which is not just a new policy. It is a paradigm shift in the way customs interacts with the private sector,” he said.

The Customs boss noted that the programme would deliver concrete benefits with positive impacts on both the economy and stakeholders.

Adeniyi stated that businesses certified under the AEO scheme would gain several advantages, such as faster cargo clearance, fewer physical inspections, dedicated service desks at ports and terminals, priority handling during disruptions or congestion, improved dispute resolution mechanisms, enhanced supply chain visibility, and international recognition. “These benefits,” he stressed, “are not merely theoretical.”

He affirmed that the AEO programme, developed in line with the World Customs Organisation’s SAFE Framework of Standards—particularly its Customs-to-Business Partnership—promotes a modern approach to risk management, trade facilitation, and regulatory compliance.

The CGC explained that the core objective is straightforward: to identify and reward businesses that consistently comply with customs and tax regulations by offering them faster, more predictable, and more efficient clearance processes.

He reiterated that the reform goes beyond trade facilitation—it also enables Nigeria to fulfill its commitments under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, thereby making the country’s trade ecosystem more competitive and business-friendly.

During her presentation, a Chief Superintendent of Customs from the Post Clearance Audit Unit, Susan Adamrufan, explained that the primary goal of the Fast Track scheme is to simplify trade processes, ensure quicker clearance, and reduce business costs. She noted that by shifting inspections from ports and terminals to traders’ premises, the scheme significantly cuts down delays and operational expenses.

“The AEO has the benefit of trade facilitation, but also an additional benefit of guaranteeing that there is security in the whole supply chain from end to end, from the time of procuring a particular product, from the time of sourcing, to the time of procurement, to the time of warehousing, to the time of transportation, to the final delivery to the customer. This programme ensures that security is guaranteed in the supply chain.”

However, the Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, acknowledged that while the Fast Track scheme had its shortcomings, it nonetheless contributed to the growth of the Association.

Represented by MAN Executive Mr. Ope Sunday, Ajayi-Kadir welcomed the transition to the AEO programme but urged the Nigeria Customs Service to address the challenges experienced under the Fast Track system as part of the AEO implementation.